7
Lorenzo
Arrangements happened quickly once we returned to the village. Kali grabbed Raja’s hand and immediately took off to get him ready for the ceremony. Raja shrugged at me as his mother dragged him excitedly away.
Meanwhile, Zumi was a little more formal when interacting with me.
“Shall we prepare you for the wedding, Mr. Lorenzo?” she asked.
“Yes, please. And just Lorenzo is fine,” I replied with a smile.
Everything was laid out, cleaned and ironed and ready for me. Zumi presented me with a beautiful white suit and pants and a golden tie.
“This is wonderful,” I told her.
“Kali picked it out herself,” Zumi said. “She wanted you to look stunning. Not that you aren’t already, sir.”
I was still a bit embarrassed that I was being treated like an honored guest - even though Iwasone. I wanted to ask her not to call mesir, but she would probably keep saying it anyway.
In a separate room, I dressed myself and made sure my cuffs and hems were all in proper place. Even if this was a fake marriage, the wedding ceremony itself was real - at least for the majority of the people attending. I had an obligation to look good and act politely. The people of this Pardus clan had gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable, and the least I could do was perform a memorable role.
Even if it was all a lie.
I met my reflection’s stare in the mirror. I wasn’t usually one to brag, but I looked handsome. I wondered if I would look this good on my real wedding day.
Whenever that would be.
I tried not to think about that. Right now, the important thing was to help Raja. If that meant putting on a beautiful suit and faking a wedding, then so be it. I would be the best fake alpha groom in history.
“Do you need any help, sir?” Zumi called from behind the door.
Apparently, I spent a longer time lost in my thoughts than I meant to.
“Ah, no. I’m done. Sorry for taking so long.”
After stepping out, Zumi gasped, holding her hands to her mouth. “Oh, you look quite handsome, sir. Raja is very lucky.”
I smiled. I would have been lying if I told myself the attention and compliments weren’t nice, fake marriage or not.
But they would sound sweeter coming from Raja’s lips,I thought.
Zumi led me outside. But as soon as we exited her home, I gasped. While I was getting ready, the village had utterly transformed.
Strings of lights dangled from branches, criss-crossing every house and tree. The center path was lined with tall golden candles. Their flames flickered gently in the warm breeze. The villagers all stood at the end of the light-studded path, where a low wooden platform seemed to beckon me. Standing on the platform was Kali wearing a beautiful white dress and simple jewelry. In one hand, she held onto her husband’s cane. Beside her was an old but powerful leopard wearing a gold fang necklace that shone like fire in the sunset’s light.
I glanced at Zumi. She bowed and gestured for me to approach the platform.
Raja was nowhere to be seen.
Holding my head up high, I strode towards the platform where Eka and Kali were waiting. Kali smiled primly, while Eka watched me with his unblinking, intense golden eyes.
All around me the villagers seemed to buzz with excitement. A few children had trouble containing themselves from jumping up and down and tugging on their parents’ sleeves.
Sitting in a wooden chair close to the platform was someone I didn’t recognize. He was an older man, around Eka’s age, who wore a boar-tusk necklace. When he noticed me looking in his direction, he smiled gently and nodded encouragingly for me to go ahead. I didn’t know who he was, but I appreciated his warmth.
I paused at the base of the platform and waited. Eka, who never once took his eyes off of me, nodded slowly as an invitation to come up. The bottom of my shoes made a quiet thump against the wood. Everything was quiet.
I glanced towards the crowd, looking for Raja, but couldn’t see him. Part of me wanted to ask where he was, but didn’t want to ruin the moment. Surely he would arrive soon.
